Mechanism for controlling railway switches



Jan. 22, 1929,

L. WYANT MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed April 21. 1927 Patented Jan. 22, 1929.

UNITED STATES LEROY WYANT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING RAILW'AY SWITCHES.

Application filed April 21, 1927. Serial No. 185,440.

My invention relates to mechanism ttor controlling railway switches, and particularly to the locking apparatus usually embodied in such mechanism. l

I will describe one form ot switch mechanism embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of mechanism embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a view, partly sectioned and partly in elevation, .of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line III-III of Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters reiter to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring iirst to Fig. 1, the reference character S designates a railway switch comprising two movable point` rails 1 and 2 secured together' by means of a tie rod 3 and operated by a rod 7. The/tie rod 3 carries a lug 3a through which the operating rod 7 passes, and this rod co-o-perates with two springs 4 and 5 placed on opposite sides of the lug 3a, 'so that when the rod 7 is moved in either direction one of the springs 4 or 5 is compressed in order to forcibly move the point rails to one position or the other against the associated stock rails. A damping device D is connected by a rod 6 with the lug 3a to prevent .tlopping of the point rails when a ti'ain trails through the switch in normal position. The point rails 1 and 2 are also connected together by means of a front rod 24a to which is connected a lock rod 24. For the purpose oi throwing the switch I provide a switch stand comprising a suitable base carrying a switch stand top 10. The top 10 has two notches 11 and 12 in the periphery thereof, and these notches co--operate with a switch operating lever 9 to hold the latter in position. The switch operating rod 7 is connected by means of a crank S and a sleeve 8 to an arm 8b which carries the lever 9 pivotally connected therewith at 9b. Arm S and sleeve Saa-re secured together by a pin K. A target rod 17 passes vertically through the switch stand top 10 and sleeve 8a, and carries a key 17a which co-operates with a key way 8c in the sleeve 8a, thus requiring that sleeve 8a and rod 17 must rotate together but permitting rod 17 to move up and down independently of sleeve 8a. With this arrangement it will be clear that when lever 9 is raised out of the notch 12 it may be rotated through an angle of 90 degrees until it registers with the notch 11, and that this rotation will move the rod 7 so as to reverse the switch S.

In addition to operating the switch rod 7, the switch lever 9 is so arranged that each time it is swung out from one of the notches in the switch standtop 10, a plunger lock rod 21 is thro-wn from the left to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2. For the purpose of accomplishing this movement the arms 8b carries a pivot mounting 14 about which is pivoted a bell crank lever 15. The lever 15 may be operated in one direction or the other by means ot an angular member 13, the horizontal portion of which slides within a guideway which is cut out from the arm 8b, and the projecting end of this horizontal portion carries a roller 132l which co-operates with a cam surface 9a on the upper end of switch operating lever 9. The vertical portion of the member 13 is slotted at 13C and co-opcrates with a pin 18", which is mounted in one arm of the bell crank lever 15. Secured to the target rod 17 is a pin 16, which co-operates with a slot 16a in the other arm of the bell crank lever 15, so that when the lever 9 is swung to the hori- Zontal position about the pivot 9*, the arm 13 is pushed to the left (Fig. 2) and operates through the bell crank lever 15 to push the target rod 17 downwardly. Secured to the lower end oit target rod 17 is a stirrup 18 by means of which the target rod is connected to a second bell crank lever 19 pivoted in any suitable manner at a point 20, the lower arm et this lever 19 being pivotally connected with the right-hand end of plunger lock rod 21. It will now be apparent that operation of the switch operating lever 9 will cause the plunger lock rod 21 to be drawn toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, each time that the lever 9 is raised to the. horizontal position.

For the purpose of locking the switch S in each position after it is thrown, the plunger lock rod 21 co-operates with the switch lock rod 24. When the rod 21 occupies the position shown in Fig. 2, it passes through a hole in the rod 24 and prevents the switch from being thrown in either direction. Then the rod 21 is withdrawn, the lock rod 24 is free to move from one position to the other under the action of the switch operating lever 9.

The lock rod 21 co-operates with the usual plunger lock circuit controller C in such manner that` a contact 25-26 is closed or open according as the lock rod is in its locking or its IIH tion. Also secured to the rod 2l is a member' to which is pivotedy one arm ot a toggle 3l, the other arm ot this toggle beine' pivotally secured to the housing; 28 at point 55. The toggle arms are pivotally connected at point lll), Under normal conditions the toggle- 3l occupies the full-line position to which it is biased hy the spring; 8O pushing' against the head l. but when the plunger loch rod 2l is withdrawn in the right-hand direction, the toggle straightens ont into the position shown in dotted lines, and under certain conditions may move to a position below dead center, so that it will remain in this position independently of the action ot spring` 30. Se-l cured to the pivot point 49 ot the toggle is a straight link 32 pivotally connected at 50 to a link 33 which is provided with a long narrow slot 34. The link 33 is movable up and down in co-ordination with the toggle 3l and lis guided in this movement by two anti-friction rollers 39 and l0 mounted on opposite sides ot the path ot travel ot' the link. Fivotally mounted in the casing` 23 at 35 an arm 3B to one end ot which is secured a counterweight 3T. lVhen this arm occupies its normal position, as shown in full lines, a pivot pin 38 carried near the lett end ot this arm occupies a position near the top ot slot 3ain liuli 33 so that owingto the weight of counterweig'ht 3'5" it is impossible to pull the toggle 3l and the associated mechanisin below its dead center position, because the top ot slot 84; will engage the pin 38 in arn'i 36 and prevent such movement. `When the arm 3G is moved to the dotted line position. however, the toggle may be moved below its dead center position in which it will remain until released by operation ot mecha nisni 'for allowing the arm 36 to return by gravity to its -full line position. The letthand end ot' arm 36 has a notch 56 which cooperates with a latch Lll. This latch is pivoted at 4t2 in the casing 23 and carries at its lower end a roller 43 which is adapted to eooperate with the notch 56 in the end ot the arm. A spring all normally biases the latch l1 to its rightshand position, lout this latch may he moved to the left by means of a cam 47 (Fig. 3). The cam 47 is carried on one end ot a shaft 46 mounted in a sleeve l5 forming;n part ot the casing 23.y Secured to the outer end ot the shaft 46 is a trip arm a8 which norn'ially hangs in substantially a vertical position in proximity to the track rails. VJhen the arm i8 is moved toward a horizontal position so that the cam 47 is rotated in a clockwise direct-ion, as shown in Fig. 2, this camv moves the latch ll to the lett, so that the roller 43 is disengaged from the notch 56 and allows the` arm 36 to drop to the full-line position under the action of counterweight 37. lt will be apparent trom the. toregoing, that so longI as the arm 36 occupies the tall-line position, the plunger lock rod 2l cannot be locked in its right-hand. position, because the toggle 8l cannot be moved below its dead center, due to the engagement of the pin 355 with the top of slot 34;. lt will,

however, be apparent that when the arm 36 is moved to the dotted-line position, in which it is locked by the latch 4l, the toggle 3l may he moved. to its dotted line position, in which the pivot i9 is 1below dead center, and the spring- 30 is then inetlective to move the rod ill to the lett. The parts are so arranged, however, that the rod 21 may be moved tar enough to the right by lever 9 to release the loch rod 2l without the arm 3G being moved away trom its toll-line position.

As shown in the drawing, the switch S is in the normal position, and all parts ot the mechanism are in the positions corresponding to this position ot the switch. 'llo reverse the switch, the lever 9 is raised to a horizontal position and rotated through an angular distance ot' 900, and is then dropped into the notch l1, so that the switch moved to its reverse posit-ion and locked. The movement of the lever 9 to the horizontal position will move the rod 2l to the right as viewed in 2, releasing the loch rod 9.4i and allowing` the switch points l and 2 to be moved, but when the lever 0 is returned to its vertical position, the plunger rod 2l is moved to the lett under the action of spring 30 so that the switch is locked. then, however, a train in siding l? is to more out into the main line, the points heing' set for the main track, the following operations are performed: The train tirst stops before the engine reaches the switch S in coming trom the siding,r l, and the head-end bralienian disuiounts l'roin the train and raises the` arm 3G to the horizontal position in which it is locled by the latch Lil. rlhis trees Athe link so that when the switch o gkiorating lever 9 is raised to the horizontal position to pull the plunger rod 2l to the right and so to unlock the rod 524, the toggle 3l is allowed to move to its position below dead center. The brakeman may then return lever 9 to its vertical position in notch l2 leaving' the switch in its normal position hut unlocked. The bralreinan nov: returns to the train and the train advances through the switch, the points l and 2 ot the switch being moved to the reverse position by the action of the lianges of the trent wheels of the iirst car lou which reaches the switch. As the point rails 1 and 2 move to their reverse positions, the spring 5 is compressed so that when the front truck of the train passes the point rails this spring will tend to return the point rails to the normal position but will be prevented from doing so by the action ot thev damping device D. 'I he switch, therefore, will not return to its normal position during the passage of the train. Ordinarily in making such a movement, it is necessary for the rear-end brakeman to loch the switch after the train passes through it, and so it is necessary tor the train to make a second stop,` I avoid the necessity for this second stop by providing the lever 48, which is mounted adjacent the tracliway in a position such that it may be swung by the rear-end braken'ian as the train leaves the switch or may be operated by an arm provided on the caboose for this purpose. As the train leaves the switch the braleman moves the arm Li8 to a horizontal position by rotating it in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in F ig. l, so that the cam el' releases the latch al, allowing the arm 36 to swing to the 'full-line position under the action of counterweight 37. This raises the toggle 3l above the dead center position due to the engagement ot pin 38 with the top of slot 34, and the plunger loch rod 2l is moved to the lett-hand position under the action of spring 30 as soon as the spring 5 moves the switch point rails l and Q far enough to bring the lock rod 24 to such a position that the hole through this rod coincides with the path of travel of the rod 2l. Suit-able means may be provided for indicating whether or not the switch is locked after the train passes through it, and such indicating mechanism may be controlled in any suitable manner by the contacts 25 and 26 of the plunger' lock circuit controller. f

It will now be clear that apparatus embodying my invention eliminates one stop during movements through a switch -from the siding into the main line, and also provides means whereby the position ot the switch may be checked. It will also be clear that the apparatus does not in any way interfere with the normal operation ot the switch for other movements, since the switch stand may be operated in the usual manner independently ot the 'tripping mechanism in casing 23.

Although I have herein shown and described only onc forni oit railway switch operating mechanism embodying my invention, it is understood that farious changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. In combination, a railway switch, means for moving said switch to a normal or a reverse position, means for locking the switch, means for restraining the locking means to permit trailing train movements through the switch, and a tripping device operable from the train for releasing lock the switch after the train leavesV the switch.

Q. In combination, a railway switch having a normal and a reverse position, means for moving` said switch to a normal or a reverse position, means for locking said switch in either position, means for restraining said locking means during trailing` train movements through the switch, and means operable trom a train for releasing said restraining means. 4

In combination, a railway switch having ing said switch to either of such positions, means for locking said switch in either of its positions, means for rrendering the locking means inefi'ective during trailing' train movements through the switch in normal unlocked posit-ion, resilient n'ieans forbiasing the switch to normal position during such movements, and means operable from the train for ren- (ilering the locking means effective to loclcthe switch when a train leaves the switch.

4. In combination, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, means for moving said switch to either of such positions, means tor locking said switch in either ot' its positions, means for rendering said locking means ineiiective during trailing train movements through the switch, and means operable from the train for rendering said locking means effective to lock said switch after such a train movement through the switch.

5. In combination, a section of railway track comprising a main line and a turn-out, a spring switch leading into the turn-out, means for moving said switch to a normal or a reverse position, means 'for locking said switch, means 'for rendering said locking means ineffective during trailing train movements through the switch, and tripping means operable from the train for rendering said locking means eiifective to lock said switch in normal position automatically after such train movements through the switch.

G. In combination, a railway switch, means 'for moving said switch to a normal or a reverse position, a reciprocable rod .for locking said switch in either position, means for biasing said rod toward its locking position. means tor holding said rod in its unlocking position against said bias, a pivoted lever for control ling the holding means, means for locking said lever in a position to allow said holding means to become effective, and means operated by said lever for releasing said holding means.

7. The combination with a spring switch and means for damping its movement toward normal position, of a reciprocable locking rod, means for biasing said rod to its locking the locking means to normal and reverse positions, means tor movv position, a toggle tor holding said rod in its unlocking position, gravity operated means vfor releasing said toggle, a latch for restraining the operation ot' the gravity operated means, and means operable trom a train pass ing through the switch :tor releasing said latch and automatically locking said switch in normal position.

8. rllhe combination with a spring switch and means tor damping its movement toward normal position, ot a reciprccable locln j rod, means tor biasing said rod to its locking position, a toggle tor holding said rod in its unlocking position, gravity operated means tor releasing said toggle, a latch tor restraining the operation ot the gravity operated means, a cam for operating said latch, ant a lever monntedadjacent the switch tor operating said cam to release the lat-ch.

9. ln combination, a railway svvf'itch, a loching rod biased to a position in which such rod prevents movement oit the switch, means including a toggle tor holding said locking rod in its unlocking position against said bias, gravity operated means for releasing said toggle, a latch for restrainingp.;l the operation of the gravity operated means, and means operable trom a train passing through said switch tor releasing said latch.

l0. In combination, a railway switch, a locking rod biased to a position in which such rod prevents movement of the switch, means including a toggle for holding said locking rod in its Vunlocking position against said bias, gravity operated means for releasing said toggle, a latch for resti'ainingl the operation oi' the gravity operated means, a

Icam for operating said latch, and a lever motion mounted adjacent the switch tor operating the cam to release the latch.

ll. In combination, a railway switch, manually operable means for moving said switch to its normal or reverse position, a locking rod attached to said switch, a. plunger biased to a position in which the plunger prevents movement ol said locking rod, means tor moving said plunger to an ineffective position against such bias, a manually operable arm biased to one position, means tor moving the arm to a second position against its bias, means edective when said arm occupies its second position to hold vsaid plunger in its ineffective position, and a manually controlled latch tor at times holding said arm in said second position.

l2. in combination, a railway switch, a manually operable lever tor controlling said switch, a locking rod controlled by said lever tor prevent-ing movement ot said switch, a. device for at times rendering said locking rod ineffective to prevent movement ot the switch, and a. second lever operable trom` a train passing through said switch for rondering said device inetl'ective.

13. ln combination, a railway switch, a manually operable lever 'for controlling said switch, a locking rod controlled by said lever tor preventing movement ot said switch, a latch, meanscontrolled by said latch Ji'or at times rendering said locking rod inetiective to prevent movement oi' the switch, and a second lever operable from a. train passing through said switch for at times releasing said latch.

In testimony whereot l alliz; my signature.

minor i'vYANT. 

